Chargers: Look At Petco Failure

"Padres attendance is worse than it was at Qualcomm, even though the team had a great 2010 season and is slashing ticket and concession prices. So why do the Chargers want a stadium a stone’s throw from Petco, which is not working out for the Padres?"
Don Bauder- San Diego Reader

over 1 year ago strummer 11 comments 0 recs |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

The team payroll dropped from $73.7 million in 2008 to $38.2 million in 2010

this is the main reason why attendance at Padres games has slumped. The product on the field wasn’t as good. Realizing that you now occupy the dreaded “small market” niche of MLB teams is enough to depress fans and attendance. I don’t think it has much to do with parking/traffic or marginally higher ticket prices.

Plus, the whole global recession thingy might have put a damper on attendance.

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Dec 23, 2010 11:49 AM PST reply actions 1 recs

THIS

Also, I wasn’t aware that we were in an economic recession when the Padres were at Qualcomm….

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Dec 23, 2010 11:58 AM PST up reply actions

another thing they don't factor in

Is the occassional sellout at Qualcomm puts 75K people in the seats, whereas a sellout at petco only puts 45K in the seats.

Even during the lowest of padres seasons, they still got the Opening day, Sky Show, 4th of July, and hat night sellouts. That accounts for around 100K in additional attendance even if you’re rolling a minor league team out there.

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Dec 23, 2010 12:15 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs

Also, they had a lousy 2009 season and that resulted in poor season ticket sales.

Season ticket sales are what drive attendance figures.

Bolts from the Blue // "It is what it is." - A.J. Smith
Bloody Elbow // "Richard is a jewel." - Kid Nate

by Richard Wade on Dec 23, 2010 9:54 PM PST up reply actions

Football is more popular in San Diego

I don’t think looking to the Padres is instructive in this situation. And, even if baseball were just as popular, it’s simple math: much easier to sell out 8 home games over the course of a football season than get consistent attendance for the marathon that is the baseball season.

by RiversMVP on Dec 23, 2010 12:16 PM PST reply actions 2 recs

and add in blackout restrictions...

Bolts from the Blue - Destroying your opinions with facts.

by John Gennaro on Dec 23, 2010 12:23 PM PST up reply actions

For a goom and doomer I don't know how Don missed this one....

Its the economy stupid.

The Padres can’t sell tickets if the fans don’t have jobs.

by Trendsearcher on Dec 23, 2010 1:37 PM PST reply actions

It's more than just the individuals too

Companies buy up season tickets as well. Downturn in economy and team led to many companies abandoning their season tickets. Even when the team got better, it was too late for companies to get season tickets and they still had no money.

Winning teams always, ALWAYS see their ticket base increase the NEXT year. Go back to the Padres in 1998. They didn’t have nearly the year selling tickets that year as they did in 1999. And 1999 was after a supposed firesale and the team wasn’t any good.

The National League West title was all but a lock,
Then they lost 10 in a row, ‘twas like a punch in the jock!

Bolts from the Blue - General Manager: It is what it isn't

by Wonko on Dec 23, 2010 3:03 PM PST up reply actions

Wow... Apples, I'd like you to meet Oranges

Dismissing his use of the word “failure” in describing the Padres and Petco, I think it would take anyone with simple 4th grade logic to know that whatever success the Padres do or do not enjoy downtown has absolutely no bearing on how it would be for the Chargers.

He seems to be implying that geography alone would dictate ticket sales. It’s kind of like saying the brand of shoes you wear determines if a girl is going to say yes to going out with you. I mean, I’ve been rejected for pretty dumb reasons in my life, but they usually don’t make it down to my shoes! (Not meant to be as crass as it may have sounded.)

by Andy (allfield) on Dec 23, 2010 2:04 PM PST reply actions

The stadium downtown alienated

about 4000 north county fans a night due to the location, and due to the economy about 4000 downtown fans failed to fall out of the high rise condos and into Petco. Putting the stadium downtown was a vanity play by Moores and the city and not necessarily the best decision in regards to accessibility for fans throughout the county.

If you aren't fired with enthusiasm, then you will be fired with enthusiasm. Vince Lombardi

by Bolt Brother on Dec 23, 2010 8:53 PM PST via mobile reply actions